Tents



Nov. 1, 1966 v. L. SCOTT 3, 82,274

TENTS Filed Jan. 15, 1964 5 SheetsSheet l HG Z INVENTOR.

V/cme 1.56077 Arne/v5 Y5.

Nov. 1, 1966 v. L. SCOTT 3, 74

TENTS Filed Jan. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 i26 Hal/Z as 100% Z Scar;

United States Patent 3,232,274 TENTS Victor L. Scott, 3105 Torrey Beach Drive, Fenton, Mich. Filed Jan. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 337,815 2 Claims. (Cl. 135-3) This invention relates to improvements in portable tents. More particularly, the present invention relates to new types of structures, shapes and uses of portable tents which are more universally adapted to many and varied uses of such tents for general outdoor use by a small or large number of occupants, as desired.

In the past, the portable tents available to the public had many disadvantages and inconveniences during use, such as pegs and ropes for the erection of these tents, and inside poles for the support of same.

The present invention overcomes the above problems by providing an improved multipurpose type of portable tent which is compact, easy to manufacture, has a new tent pole having compression and decompression action which will fit most tent holes or grommets, and may be erected without going inside the tent structure.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved portable tent structure which has no conventional ridge pole and which may be easily and quickly erected with no inside tent pole supports to decrease the usable area within the tent;

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved multipurpose portable tent structure which eliminates the conventional center pole.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved portable tent structure which is compact and economical to make.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved portable tent structure which provides fourway water run off away from the door of same.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved portable tent structure which may employ a spring loaded pole to eliminate the sag of the overhead frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide an external transverse and adjustable telescoping gable-like ridge pole means to eliminate center tent poles in a tent structure.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved portable tent structure which employs a double diagonal fold line.

Another object of the invention is to provide an external overhead adjustable frame adapted to adjust to any average tent angle or width of tent structure.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved portable tent structure in which a zipper type of cross ventilation closure door or window means is provided therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new type of telescoping tent pole including at least two types of telescoping locking means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as will be readily apparent from consideration of the following specification in relation to the annexed drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the basic form of tent of this invention, showing the use of a novel external ridge pole therefor;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on lines 2 2 of FIGURE 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of FIGURE 1 when reduced to a smaller scale;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the angle locking means between the two ridge poles as illustrated in FIGURE 1;

3,282,274 Patented Nov. 1, 1966 lower external pin for securing a rope means thereon comprising one type of side tent pole used in this invention:

FIGURE 6A is an enlarged part sectional view of a modification of the resiliently spring actuated top pin means and means carrying a top pin means on a telescoping tent pole for supporting a tent means thereon without sagging including locking detent means between two telescoping sections of the new tent pole of this invention in which the lower section has fixed thereto an external ring means for conveniently fastening tent ropes thereto;

FIGURE 7' is a modified type of tent structure having an intermediate side sloping roof portion connected to a rear tent portion having rearwardly sloping end and side roof portions and connected to a front portion having side sloping roof portions;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is another modified type of tent structure having an intermediate portion connected to two end portions, all having side sloping roof portion;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a further modified type of tent structure having a rear portion with back and side sloping roof portion and a front portion having side sloping roof portions;

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is another modified type of tent structure having a roof structure with a backward sloping and side sloping roof portion and high rise cooperating door portions;

FIGURE 14 is a plan view of FIGURE 13 in which the front of the tent structure may be expanded or have an awning or jalousie front, as desired and indicated in broken lines;

FIGURE 15 is a further modified type of tent structure having side sloping gable roof portion cooperating with a rearwardly sloping roof portion to provide additional head room in the tent;

FIGURE 16 is a plan view of FIGURE 15 having an extension or awning front as indicated in broken lines;

FIGURE 17 is a side elevational view of a modified locking means for the spring pressed pole of the invention;

FIGURE 18 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 18-18 of FIGURE 17;

FIGURE 19 is a side elevational view showing one type of pin means of my new tent pole including a spring detent means adapted to securely retain grommets of the tent structure thereon;

FIGURE 20 is a front elevational view of FIGURE 19;

FIGURE 21 discloses a side elevational view of another type of pin means of the new tent pole of this invention in which the pin means has a pivoted keeper means for seclrely retaining grommets of the tent structure thereon; an

FIGURE 22 is a front elevational view of FIGURE 20.

Similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the drawings in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings in general, and more particularly to FIGURES l-5, reference numeral 30 denotes one form of tent of the present invention having a floor 31 of a general rectangular shape. Tent 30 is made of a suitable waterproof fabric, plastic or the like, comprising vertical and trapezoidal shaped side Walls 32 and 33 one of which is provided with an access opening having a flap member 33a which fold-s back along line 33b, vertical back wall portions 34, roof means 35a external transverse ridge pole members 35 and 36 secured together at their apex by apertured eye means 35b and 36a and apertured spacer means 37 having serrations 38 on each side thereof, all rigidly connected together by bolt means 39 and threaded wing nut means 40 as best shown in FIGURE 5. Back walls 34 are of rectangular shape. To the lower periphery portion of spacer means 37 threaded bolt '42 is secured in threaded aperture means 43 of spacer means 37. Bolt means 42 terminates at its lower portion in a plural hook means 44. Bolt means 42 carries an upper washer means 45 and a lower extending washer means between which is carried spring means 47 thereon, as shown. Spring means 47 depresses lower washer means 46 downwardly to serve as a keeper means to prevent coat hangers or other articles hung on hook means 44 from becoming detached therefrom during a storm or strong wind and the like. The side tent material of FIGURES 1, 2, and 3 may be made up from standard web stock, plastic or fabric material integrally folded, separately cut, stitched or connected together in any suitable manner at adjoining edges except the entrance portion of the tent in which adjoining edges may be sna-p fastened, zipper secured or fastened together by other desired detachable means, well known to those skilled in the art. The walls of tent means 30 terminate in corner portions 50, 51, 52, and 53. The upper portion of each corner means 50, 51 and 52 of the tent 30 contains reinforcing material A through which a grommet or suitable aperture is formed therein to receive pin means 55 of either of pole means 56 or 60 of FIGURE 6 or 6A. Likewise, the lower portion of each corner means 50, 51, and 52 is suitably reinforced with material 65 (FIGURES 6 and 6A) through which a grommet means 67 is formed receiving conventional loop rope means 68 which is held down by pin means 69 of pole means 56 or external washer means 70 of pole means 60.

Pole means 56 and 60 may have a ground pin means 55a adapted to be fixedly pushed into any normal terrain, for erection of tent means 30 and the like. Transverse ridge pole means 35 and 36 are secured to the tent structure at apex AA.

Roof means 35a may be fabricated from any of the above-mentioned materials in any suitable manner, well known to those skilled in the art, having ridge line 54 substantially parallel to floor means 31, and ridge lines 56a, 57a, and 58 defining a sloping angle with respect to floor means 31. Roof means 35a has water run-off edges 59, 63, 61, and 62 which may be superimposed on, formed integral with or sewn to the upper edges of adjacent side walls 32 and back walls 34 as best shown in FIGURES 1, 2, and 3. Roof means 35a has a four side Water run-off away from door or front means 33a.

One or both back wall means 34 have an apertured window means 65 adapted for viewing therefrom or adapted, as desired, for cross ventilation therein in connection with zippered window means 66 and 67, as best seen inFIG- URES 1 and 2.

Adjacent corner means 50, 51, 52, and 53 are positioned or attached to pole means 80, 81, 82, and 83, respectively, which may be of a type of pole as disclosed in FIGURE 6 or 6A, as desired, and may be guyed by a suitable rope means 85 attached to a conventional peg or ground pin means 86, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2, and 3.

Referring more specific-ally to FIGURE 6A, pole means 60 is comprised of two telescoping members 60a and 601) which are adjusted in length by locking means 83.

Looking means 88 is comprised of a fixed collar means 89 suitably attached to pole member 601). Collar means v89 carries thereon two apertured ear means 90 which receives bolt means 91 adapted to pass through a central aperture means of detent lever means 92 held between ear means 90 and in a spring bias relationship to mem- :ber 60b by spring means 93 which causes the hooked distal end 94 of lever means 92 to engage a selected aperture means 9 in pole member 60a. Locking means 88 also may be used as a. length adjustment means between 4 telescoping ridge pole members 35 and 350 as shown in FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 17 and 18 pertain to a modified locking device 97 comprised of eccentric elliptical sleeve means 98 superimposed between two telescoping circular apertured pipe members )9 and 100. Sleeve means 98 terminates in an external extending lip portion 98a which may be manipulated manually to adjustably lock pipe members 99 and 100 together corresponding to a desired extended length for pipe members 99 and 100.

Referring again to FIGURE 2, the locking means between the two telescoping members of ridge pole means 35 and 36 may be of a type as disclosed in connection with locking means 88 of FIGURE 6A or locking 153118 97 of FIGURES 17 and 18. Likewise, locking means 88 and 97 may be employed for the adjustable means between two telescoping ad-justable pipe members as a vertical tent pole means for each corner of the tent, if so desired.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention in which tent means 30a is comprised of side wall means 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, and 107 and roof means 110 consisting of ridge portions 111 and 112 substantially parallel to floor means 113. The sloping back portion of roof 110 consists of a sloping ridge means 114 which forms a diagonal slope with floor means 113. Wall means 106 and 107 are trapezoidal in shape. Wall means 102, 103, 104, and are of rectangular shape. Roof comprises companion water run-off edges 116 and 117, edges 118 and 119 and edges 120- and 121, for the front roof port-ion 111a, intermediate roof portion 112a and back roof portion 115a. The back tent portion comprising side walls 103 and 104 has ape-rtured window means 122 of a zippered or other suitable type, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, for cross viewing or ventilation. The front portion of tent means 30w comprising wall means 106 and 107 has a dual window means 124 in the upper front portion of each wall for cross viewing and ventilation. The front portion of wall means 106 and 107 may be folded back along fold line 125 to provide a walk-in entrance way. The material as used in tent means 30a may be of a similar desired type as used in tent means 30 of FIGURE 1. At each corner of tent means 30a is placed a tent pole as shown in FIGURES 6 or 6A,

each of which may be fastened by grommets and rope means to the sewed or integral corners of the tent and roof as explained for FIGURE 1. Roof nreans 110 and the side means 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, and 107 may be patterned by being folded integral or sewed together at adjacent edges, as desired. Transverse ridge pole means 35 and 36 are secured to each apex AA of the tent structure.

FIGURES 9 and 10 illustrate a third embodiment of the invention which differs from FIGURES 7 and 8 only in the slope of roof ridge line 114a which is substantially parallel to floor means 113a. For clarity, the same reference numerals of parts and description of FIGURES 7 and 8 .are applied for tent means 30b of FIGURES 9 and 10, except wall means 103a and 10411 which are trapezoidal in shape.

FIGURES 11 and 12 illustrate a fourth embodiment of the invention 300 in which the tent means comprises front wall means 126 and 127, side Wall means 128 and 129, and back wall means 130. Roof means 131 is patterned and comprised of ridge lines 132, 133, and 134 and water run-off edges 135, 136, 137, 138, and 139. Ridge line 132 is substantially parallel to floor means 140. Back wall means 130 may have an apertured window means if desired. The upper front portions of wall means 126 and 127 may have a zippered window means 141 in each wall for cross viewing and ventilation. The front vertical edge portions of wall means 126 and 127 may be zippered and folded back along diagonal line 142 to permit an accessible wa1k-in entrance for tent means 300. At each corner of tent means 30c is provided a tent pole means secured to guy rope means 85 and peg means 86.

143 adapted to be fastened by grommet means and rope means. Pole means 143', of a desired type, are secured laterally and vertically by guy means 85 and peg means 86, as shown, in FIGURES 1 and 2. The apex B of root means 131 is secured by washer means 45 and pin means 42 to external transverse ridge pole means 35 and 36 as illustrated in FIGURE 2, eliminating any conventional center pole means.

FIGURES 13 and 14 illustrate a fifth embodiment of the invention in which tent means 30d comprises front wall means 145 and 146, side wall means 147 and 148 and rear wall means 149, floor means 150, and roof means 151.

Roof means 151 comprises ridge lines 152 and 153 and water run-ofi edges 154, 155, and 156.

Front wall means 145 and 146 have aperture/d window means 157 therein as shown. Front wall means 145 may be folded back along diagonal line 158, to provide a walkin entrance means, as shown. Tent means 3011 may be extended either by a tent addition, jalousie or awning means as indicated by broken lines 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, and 165 having a rope means 167 supported by pole means 170, as best shown in FIGURE 13. The corners of tent means 30d are attached by upper conventional grommet means and lower rope means to pole means 172 The front and apex C of root means 151 are supported by ridge polemembers 35 and 36 as in FIGURE 2.

FIGURES and 16 illustrate a sixth embodiment of the invention in which tent means a dilfers from tent means 30d of FIGURES 13 and 14 only in roof and support structure, so for clarity all other reference numerals of tent 30d attain unchanged in tent means 30c, except that the roof 15111 has an additional ridge line 174, apex means D, and center tent pole means 175. Transverse ridge pole means and 36 are attached to apex D of roof structure 151a as described and disclosed in FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGURES 19 and 20, pin means 55b is secured in the top portion of tent pole means 56b, as shown. Pin means 55b is adapted to retain a grommet of the roof portion or top edge portion of a wall of the tent thereon by spring detent means 550 being fastened by rivet means 55d to pin means 55b.

Reforming to FEIGURES 21 land 22, pin means 180 is secured to tent pole means 181 and is adapted to retain a grommet in the roof or top edge wall portion of the tent thereon to support the tent structure. Pin means 180 has a rotatable bar detent means 182 pivotally secured by rivet means 183 in slot means 184 of pin means 180 to prevent the tent structure from being detached from pin means 180 during a wind or storm.

While the overhead ridge pole members secured by the angle locking means and carrying the plural hook means are preferred, it is to be understood that the tent pole means of FIGS. 19-22 may be substituted therefor in an obvious manner.

In the preferred manner of usage, all of the different tent modifications of this invention may be erected without having to go inside the tent structure. The procedural steps in erection of each tent modification may be varied but obvious to those skilled in the art, as Well as the means of striking the tent.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved tent structure which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, it is understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a sense.

I claim:

1. A tent structure comprising,

a generally rectangular floor portion,

6 a side wall portion extending generally vertically from adjacent each of the peripheral edges of the floor portion, adjacent ones of the side wall portions having a substantially trapezoidal configuration with the longer sides thereof being disposed adjacent each other to define an apex,

one of said trapezoidal wall portions having an access opening therein disposed adjacent the apex together with a ap member for closing the access opening,

the remaining adjacent wall portions being of substantially rectangular configuration having a height substantially equal to the shorter sides of the trapezoidal wall portions,

said rectangular wall portions having the adjacent sides thereof defining a corner with each other and with the shorter sides of the adjacent trapezoidal wall portion with the corners terminating at a distance upvvardly from the floor portion that is substantially less than the distance of the apex defined by the trapezoidal wall portions from the floor portion,

an elongate ridge pole member extending between two of the corners,

said ridge pole member being disposed diagonally relative to the floor portion and defining an obtuse angle at a location intermediate the end portions thereof, and

a top portion supported by the ridge pole member and extending generally outwardly therefrom and attached to the upper edge portions of each of the wall portions to define run ofi edges therealong,

said top portion having a plurality of ridge lines one of which is disposed substantially parallel to the floor portion and extends from the obtuse angle defined by the ridge pole member to the apex defined by the trapezoidal wall portions with the remaining ridge lines being generally downwardly inclined toward the floor portion from the obtuse angle defined by the ridge pole member whereby liquid may flow along the topportion in a direction away from the access opening toward the run 011 edges.

2. A tent structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein,

the ridge pole member is defined by a plurality of parts together with means for varying the efliective length of the ridge pole member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,113,898 10/1914 House 135-3 1,734,170 11/1929 Leifert 13515 1,827,729 10/1931 Brooks 1353 1,846,305 2/ 1932 Brooks 1353 2,148,949 2/1939' Mahaifey -13515 2,325,645 8/ 1943 White 135--3 2,440,557 4/ 1948 Power 135-1 2,497,596 2/ 1950 Freid-er et a1.

2,516,894 8/1950 Lushbaugh 13515 2,546,157 3/1951 Hume 28758 2,555,226 5/1951 Draugh 28714 2,705,966 4/1955 M agary 1353 2,991,096 7/ 1961 Davidson 28758 3,017,183 1/1962 Chalcraft 28714 X 3,058,480 10/ 1962 Blanchard 1353 X 3,143,122 4/1964 Goodrich I. 1353 3,168,101 2/1965 Porter 13515 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,331,266 5/1963 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

L. J. SANTISI, A. I. BREIER, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A TENT STRUCTURE COMPRISING, A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR FLOOR PORTION, A SIDE WALL PORTION EXTENDING GENERALLY VERTICALLY FROM ADJACENT EACH OF THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF THE FLOOR PORTION, ADJACENT ONES OF THE SIDE WALL PORTIONS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY TRAPEZOIDAL CONFIGURATION WITH THE LONGER SIDES THEREOF BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT EACH OTHER TO DEFINE AN APEX, ONE OF SAID TRAPEZOIDAL WALL PORTIONS HAVING AN ACCESS OPENING THEREIN DISPOSED ADJACENT THE APEX TOGETHER WITH A FLAP MEMBER FOR CLOSING THE ACCESS OPENING, THE REMAINING ADJACENT WALL PORTIONS BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION HAVING A HEIGHT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE SHORTER SIDES OF THE TRAPEZOIDAL WALL PORTIONS, SAID RECTANGULAR WALL PORTIONS HAVING THE AJACENT SIDES THEREOF DEFINING A CORNER WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE SHORTER SIDES OF THE ADJACENT TRAPEZOIDAL WALL PORTION WITH THE CORNERS TERMINATING AT A DISTANCE UPWARDLY FROM THE FLOOR PORTION THAT IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE DISTANCE OF THE APEX DEFINED BY THE TRAPEZOIDAL WALL PORTIONS FROM THE FLOOR PORTION, 